Researchers Discover The Best Exercise To Get A Flat, Toned Stomach

Brooke Nelson

Want a toned stomach? This is the way to get it. And it's science-backed and will get you the six-pack you've always dreamed of.

The most effective exercise for a toned, flat stomach?

If your belly is your area of concern when it comes to weight loss, you’re certainly not alone. While it would be great to just wave a magic wand and make the flab disappear, there’s actually something that comes pretty close: Exercise.

The science behind this type of fitness

Over the course of eight weeks, 39 volunteers exercised four times per week. While one group performed four regular cardio and strength workouts, the other group did two regular workouts and two high-intensity interval training (HIIT) workouts. Then, researchers used a series of tests to assess their progress.

The final results couldn’t have been more clear: Not only did the HIIT group lose more weight overall, but they also lost more inches to their waistline when compared to the conventional exercise group. The HIIT participants also significantly reduced their levels of visceral fat, which is found in your abdomen and associated with health problems such as type 2 diabetes.

What’s more: the HIIT group also showed an increase in their cardio respiratory fitness, while their counterparts did not.

Thanks to the short, intense bursts of energy required for HIIT workouts, your body gets pushed to its absolute limit, causing it to burn fat for the rest of the day, researcher say.

Four of these training sessions per week could be the secret to getting the six-pack you’ve always dreamed of.